Portable repair vulcanizer



PORTABLE REPAIR VULCANIZER Filed oct. 14. 1932 illlllllll mmsmggmmummnvm mmgg;

lSnvenfor (Ittomegs Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PORTABLE REPAIR VULCANIZER Harold H., Hanson, Waupun, Wis., assignor to The Shaler Company, Waupun, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application October 14,

7 Claims.

My invention relates `to improvements in portable repair vulcanizers, with particular reference to that type in which a predetermined quantity of fuel in the form of a plate or disk is applied to a metal platen or pan which is clamped upon a patch to bevulcanized to a tire tube or other article.

One object of my invention is to provide a clamping mechanism with means for holding the fuel in contact with the platen during initial combustion and while the platen is being simultaneously held in pressure relation' to the rubber to be vulcanized.

Further objects are to provide improved means for centering the platen upon the patch and preventing it from shifting during adjustment of the clamping screw; to provide means for preventing substitution of fuel containing platens having fuel of different quality, fuel with a different rate of combustion, or f uel which cannot be relied upon to deliver a predetermined number of B. t. u.s to the patch; also to provide means for holding the central portion or portions of the fuel to the platen during combustion to prevent warping, and hold the fuel disk from being lifted by gases accumulating between it and the surface of the platen to which the fuel is applied.

`In the drawing: l

Figure 1 is a side view of a repair Vulcanizer embodying my invention and showing a fuel supporting platen clamped upon a patch applied to a tire tube, the tire tube platen'and the portion of the clamping spider being illustrated in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the clamping spider and an associated fuel containing platen inseparated'relation to each other, a portion of the clamping screw shank being also illustrated.

Figure 3 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1 and showing a modification adapted for vulcanizing elongated patches, the tube, platen, and a portion of the spider being illustrated in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the work supporting clamping plate with a fuel contaning platen held in position thereon by the clamping spider illustrated in Figure 3, the clamp screw shank being illustrated in cross section.

Like parts are identied by the same reference characters, throughout the several views.

The clamping mechanism illustrated in the drawing is of the C-clamp type in which a yoke shaped member has a lower arm 10 provided with a fixed work supporting plate 11. An upper arm 12 has an apertured extremity into which aA clamping screw 13 is threaded. The clamping 1932, serial No. 637,704

screw has an operatingv thumb piece 14 at its upper end, and its lower end is provided with a shank 15 having swivel connection at 16 with a clamping spider 17. In the construction shown, a pan-like platen 18 is provided with a fuel disk 19, and the platen is clamped down upon'the patch 20 to hold the latter in proper relation to the tire tube 21 during a vulcanizing operation.

I n general. construction the parts thus far described may be assumed' to be of any ordinary type, and a more detaileddescription is, therefore, deemed unnecessary.

The novel features embodying my invention will now be described.

I provide the platen 18 with marginal notches 24. Preferably these notches are V-shaped and are adapted to receive corresponding V-shaped projections 25 on some of the arms of the spider 17.

These projections 25 may be located on diametrically opposite spider arms, the notches 24 being'correspondingly located in the platen 18.

The notches 24 are of sufcient depth to receive the V-shaped projections 25, and while the other arms of the spider may also have V-shaped extermities 26, the edges of these projections are in a different horizontal plane and, in the construction shown, are adapted to engage the upwardly extending margins of a pan-like platen after the projections 25 have entered the notches 24. The parts are so proportioned that simultaneous pressure will be applied to both the notched and unnotched margins of the platen.

If an attempt'is made by a dealer or other person to fraudulentlyA substitute platens containing inferior fuel, the improved vulcanizing apparatus cannot be used in connection with such platens unless the latter are similarly notched. Attempts to substitute platens containing inferior fuel are thereby discouraged.

To prevent the fuel from lifting from the platens to which the fuel is applied, I preferably employ V-shaped projections l25 which extend inwardly from the platen marginal notches to bear upon the fuel simultaneously with thev engagement of these projections in the bottom of the notches 24. I also provide the arms of the spider with downwardly extending prongs or fuel engaging projections 30, which bear upon the central portion or portions of the fuel to prevent the fuel from lifting during combustion thereof or while the re is spreading through the fuel mass.

These fuel clamping prongs 30 are more important when the platens are large, or when they are elongated as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

These composition fuels are ordinarily quite porous, and ignition will usually take place at one point where a burning match is applied to the fuel. Therefore, the initially ignited portion of the fuel may generate intense heat before combustion reaches the other portions,v and this unequal heating of the fuel mass tends to cause the fuel plate or disk to warp or lift.

Also, gases tend to accumulate underneath the fuel and as the fuel lifts, air is permitted to enter between it and the bottom of the pan and keep the latter comparatively cool, while combustion will then be so accelerated that the fuel burstsinto flame and is quickly consumed while out of contact with the platen.

Thus, if the fuel is permitted to lift from the bottom of the pan there is not only a great reduction in heat transfer to the patch, but it is impossible to regulate either the time for completing combustion or the time during which the bottom of the pan will have a vulcanizing temperature, if it ever reaches that temperature. Pronounced warping or lifting of the fuel may thus wholly prevent vulcanization of the patch, al-

though the degree of heat and the time during,

which the patch will have a vulcanizing temperature may otherwise be very accurately predetermined at the factory where the fuel is made.

It has been found by experiment that the initial lifting of the fuelfrom the metal is ordinarily accomplished under very light pressure, and that pronounced warping or violent lifting usually occurs after the entry of air to the space between the lifted fuel and the metal. Therefore, by applying a clamping pressure at various points on the fuel disks to prevent such initial lifting of the fuel, air may be kept from entering between the pan and fuel until the heat of the fuel has become largely equalized in all portions 'continued conduction of a vulcanizing temperature through the metal to the rubber until the desired number of B. t. u.s have been transmitted. I

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the user of my improved vulcanizer may rely-upon obtaining fuel of uniform quality and upon obtaining uniform results in the use of such fuel, inasmuch as the vulcanizing clamp ensures equality in the conditions under which vulcanization takes place. Factory predetermination of the number of B. t. u.s to be transmitted to the rubber isf thereby made possible within a range of accuracy which assures proper vulcanization of the patch.

In Figures 3 and 4, the structure is substantially the same as in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that two diametrically opposite spider arms 17a are made relatively long as compared with the other spider arms 17h, thereby adapting the spider for engagement with oval shaped or elongated platens. Also, in Figures 1 and 2, only four spider arms need be used in connection with ordinary small sized platens whereas, vfor larger platens, a greater number of spider arms should be provided.

It will, of course, be understood that it is immaterial whether the platens be circular, oval or rectangular in form. The form of the platen will be varied to suit the requirements of the type of operation for which the vulcanizing apparatus is designed. Pan-shaped platens are preferred .for the reason that the upwardly extending walls assist in preventing air from entering between the fuel and the metal, and also aid in maintain- 2. Vulcanizing apparatus including the combination of a fuel supporting platen having portions at different levels in a position to receive clamping pressure, and clamping means adapted to engage said portions with substantially balanced pressure when the clamping means is in a general position of parallelism with the platen.

3. Vulcanizing apparatus including the combination of a cup-shaped fuel containing platen having an upstanding notched wall, a fuel disk on said platen, and a clamping spider associated with centrally connected pressure applying means and having arms, one of which is adapted to engage with the upper margin of said wall and another of which is adapted to engage in the notched portionof said wall and to extend inwardly therefrom at the same level in pressure engagement with the surface of the fuel carried by the platen.

4. Vulcanizing apparatus consisting in the combination of an oblong cup-shaped fuel containing platen having a notch in the wall thereof, in combination with a clamping member having arms of unequal length and different degrees of downward extension, the arm having the' greatest downward extension being adapted to engage in said notch at a lower level than other of the platen engaging arms operating at a higher level, and means for applying clamping pressure yto said member, including a screw in swiveled connection with its central portion, said member being self adjusting for balanced pressure at all points of engagement with the platen.

5. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a sheet of prepared fuel and a fuel supporting platen having clamp receiving portions substantially at the level of the upper surface of the fuel and other portions above that level, and a platen engaging clamping member provided with depending projections adapted to simultaneously engage the platen and the platen supported fuel, said clamping member being provided with intermediate depending projections adapted to engage the central portion of the fuel when the first mentioned portions are in engagement with the platen.

6. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a platen having raisedmarginal portions at different elevations and provided with a fuel disk of a thickv platen engaging clamp provided with clamping platen engaging portions of said arms and adapted to engage portions of the fuel unit at points spaced inwardly at a substantial distance from its margins, said projections being of a length predetermined with reference to a prepared fuel of predetermined thickness, and adapted to ap ply clamping pressure to such fuel simultaneously Vwith the engagement of the clamping spider with the platen, whereby the central por-v tions of the fuel may be held to the platen during combustion notwithstanding the development of gases and warping tendencies.

' HAROLD H. HANSON. 

